The Hollywood Photographs BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts in the category - Pilgrimage Playhttp://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/blog/Copyright HollywoodPhotographs.com2016-12-08T15:43:53-07:00tag:hollywoodphotographs.com,2012-09-20:11651Hollywood Pilgrimage Play Photos on hollywoodphotos.com websiteThe Pilgrimage Play Photos
Pilgrimage Play Theater
The <a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/category/32-1/pilgrimage-play-theater/">Pilgrimage Play Theater</a> was built in 1920 as the site of The Pilgrimage Play. The author, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Wetherill_Stevenson">Christine Wetherill Stevenson</a>, believed the rugged beauty of the Cahuenga Pass would provide a dramatic outdoor setting for the play. Together with Mrs. Chauncey D. Clark, she purchased this land along with that on which the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Bowl">Hollywood Bowl</a> now sits. A wooden, outdoor amphitheatre was built on this site and the play was performed by noted actors every summer from 1920 to 1929, until the original structure was destroyed by a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brush_fire">brush fire</a> in October 1929.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PP-002.jpg" width="465" height="371" alt="Photo of Pilgrimage Play actors" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
The Pilgrimage Play
The first performance of the pilgrimage play was held on June 27, 1920. The elevated seating at the mouth of the canyon, and realistic replicas of essential scenes from the holy land, were constructed and elaborately eliminated under the direction of Mr. Reed. During the eight weeks of the summer of 1920, the drama of the life of Christ's was produced under the stars.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PP-003.jpg" width="500" height="399" alt="Photo of Pilgrimage Play Stage" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Actors Playing Christ
Jesus of Nazareth was portrayed by Henry Herbert for the first four weeks, until he was forced to return to New York. His most capable understudy, Reginald Pole, took his place as the Christus. Many fine actors portray Jesus over the years, but none for as long as<a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/category/32-1/pilgrimage-play-theater/"> Henry Herbert</a>, who held the role for over 15 years. Mrs. Stevenson's objective had been achieved and a beautiful tradition had been that was to continue long after her untimely death just two years later in 1922. Her parents then deed the property and the pilgrimage play itself, together with a trust fund for its continuance, to the pilgrimage play Association.
The largest collection of the Pilgrimage Play and the Pilgrimage Theater is on the <a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com">hollywoodphotos.com</a> website. Many of these rare photos including those of the old theater, new theater and the many actors. All photos are availale for purchase.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PPT-002.jpg" width="454" height="343" alt="Photo of Pilgrimage Play Theater" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
New Pilgrimage Play Theater
The present theatre, constructed of poured concrete and designed in the style of ancient Judaic architecture to resemble the gates of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem">Jerusalem</a>, was built on the same site and opened in 1931.[1] The Pilgrimage Play was again performed here until 1964, interrupted only by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II">World War II</a>. In 1941 the land was deeded to the County of Los Angeles. The Pilgrimage Play continued to be presented until a lawsuit in 1964 forced its closure because of its religious nature. In 1976, the Pilgrimage Theatre was renamed the John Anson Ford Theatre in honor of the late L.A. County Supervisor's significant support of the arts.
Pilgrimage Play Cross
For more than 70 years, a 34-foot illuminated cross looming over the Cahuenga Pass has been one of the landmarks by which motorists mark their passage between downtown and the San Fernando Valley.
In fact, the cross was conceived not as a purely religious monument, but as a memorial to one of Hollywood's pioneers, Christine Wetherell Stevenson, the heiress to the Pittsburgh Paint fortune who helped arrange construction of the Hollywood Bowl. She was also an aspiring playwright who wrote "The Pilgrimage Play," a pageant about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
In 1920, Stevenson choose 29 acres across the Cahuenga Pass from the Hollywood Bowl and helped carry stones from the nearby hills to build the open-air Pilgrimage Theater. She died two years later and in 1923, her admirers memorialized her by planting the cross on the hill above the theater.
Within six years, a brush fire destroyed the original theater and in 1931 Stevenson's drama reopened in a concrete theater designed in what was described as an "ancient Judaic style."
For many years, the cross was lighted only at Easter and during the annual "Pilgrimage Play" season. But the public's affection for the landmark grew and soon Sunday school children were donating money to keep the cross lit. Ultimately, Southern California Edison Co. assumed that expense and bore it until 1941, when the theater and cross were donated to the county. After the county supervisors accepted the gift, they renamed the theater after Supervisor John Anson Ford, recognizing his 24 years of service to the district in which the theater is located. The play continued its annual run until 1964, when the first in a series of lawsuits triggered by the facility's religious uses forced an end to the performances.
The cross was damaged by fire a year later. The county replaced it with a steel and plexiglass structure and operated it routinely for years. But the tradition came under legal fire in 1978, when a California Supreme Court ruling ended Los Angeles' 30-year practice of lighting City Hall windows to form a cross at Christmas and Easter. Two years later, a college professor successfully argued in court that the county was violating the constitutional separation of church and state by maintaining the Ford theater cross as well.
The cross, however, remained--dark and unguarded, abused and unused. Vandals chipped away at its foundation until a windstorm knocked it over it 1984.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PPT-017.jpg" width="500" height="449" alt="Pilgrimage PlayTheater" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
New Cross
Afterward, a small group of crusaders began raising funds for a new cross and collaborated with the Hollywood Heritage preservation group.&nbsp; Almost 10 years later, with little fanfare, a new cross was erected on the small hilltop patch after the group purchased the site from the county.
Visit the hollywoodphotos.com website to view historic and vintage photos of the Pilgrimage Play and Pilgrimage Theater. All photographs are available for purchase.2016-12-08T12:03:00-07:002016-12-08T15:43:53-07:00Bruce Torrencetag:hollywoodphotographs.com,2012-09-20:8445Pilgrimage Play photos <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PPT-002.jpg" width="100" height="76" alt="dffg" style="float: left; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" />
Pilgrimage Play
The largest collection of <a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/category/85-1/pilgrimage-play/">Pilgrimage Play photos</a> is on the <a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/">hollywoodphotographs.com website. </a>When Mrs. Christine Witherill Stevenson withdrew from the Hollywood Bowl in 1920, she was intent on promoting her religious place. She purchased a 29 acre Canyon across the <a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/category/3-1/cahuenga-pass/">Cahuenga Pass </a>from the Hollywood Bowl. After building a crude structure, which was later to develop into the beautiful Pilgrimage Play Theater, Mrs. Stevenson journeyed to the holy land to obtain authentic fabrics, utensils, and props. She wrote the entire play from her translation of the four Gospels according to the King James version of the Bible. The first performance of the Pilgrimage Play was held on June 27, 1920, with Henry Herbert starring as Jesus of Nazareth. Performances were given every summer in the original structure, until it was destroyed by fire on October 24, 1929. The elevated seating at the mouth of the canyon, and realistic replicas of essential scenes from the holy land, were constructed and elaborately illuminated under the direction of Mr. Reid. During the eight weeks of the summer of 1920, the drama of the life of Christ was produced under the stars. Jesus of Nazareth was portrayed by Henry Herbert, for the first four weeks, until he was forced to return to New York. His most capable understudy, Reginald Pole, took his place as Christ. Many fine actors per trade Jesus over the years, but none for as long as Nelson Leigh, who held the role for over 15 years.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PP-003.jpg" width="100" height="80" alt="fyikjg" style="float: right; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" />
Mrs. Stevenson&rsquo;s Passing
Mrs. Stevenson's objective had been achieved and a beautiful tradition had begun that was to continue long after her untimely death just two years later. When Mrs. Stevenson passed away in 1922, Hollywood was stunned. As a memorial to this fine lady, four of Hollywood's residents caused a 40 foot lighted cross to be erected atop a hill alongside the Pilgrimage Theater. Dedicated on July 8, 1923, the cross, which was built of structural steel and covered with concrete, was the joint effort of George L. Eastman, C.E. Toberman, William Lee Woolet and Mrs. Chauncey Clark.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PP-029.jpg" width="100" height="78" alt="fhj" style="float: left; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" />
New Theater
A new theater, with seating capacity of 1312 was built of concrete in ancient Judaism architecture and the play reopened in 1931. It continued until 1940, when war conditions caused brief interruptions. During the war, the dressing room sections were converted into dormitories, where hundreds of servicemen slept during visits to Hollywood.
The play was continued after the war and continued until the last performance in 1964. Renamed the John Anson Ford County cultural arts theater in commemoration of Ford's 24 years service as County supervisor of the third district of Los Angeles, the theater now houses the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PPT-017.jpg" width="100" height="90" alt="rthb" style="float: right; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" />
Photo Collection
The largest collection of Pilgrimage Play photos is on the hollywoodphotographs.com website. All the photos are available for purchase. &nbsp;Other photos on the hollywoodphotographs.com website include,<a href="http://hollywoodphotographs.com/category/15-1/hollywood-canteen/"> Hollywood Canteen</a>, Movie Studios and Hollywood Blvd.2015-01-06T12:48:00-07:002015-01-06T16:24:09-07:00Bruce Torrencetag:hollywoodphotographs.com,2012-09-20:3155Pilgrimage Play in Hollywood<img style="float: left; margin: 3px;" title="pp" alt="pp" height="180" width="225" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PP-003.jpg" />
Pilgrimage Play
Mrs. Christine Witherill Stevenson started the <a href="http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/category/85-1/pilgrimage-play/">Pilgrimage Play</a> after she withdrew from the <a href="http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/category/14-1/hollywood-bowl/">Hollywood Bowl,</a> in 1920.&nbsp; She was intent on promoting her religious plays.&nbsp; She purchased a 29-acre canyon across the Cahuenga Pass from the Hollywood Bowl.&nbsp; After building a crude structure, which was later to develop into the <a href="http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/category/32-1/pilgrimage-play-theater/">Pilgrimage Play Theater.</a> The first performance of the play was held on June 27, 1920, with Henry Herbert starring as Jesus of Nazareth. Performances were given every summer in the original structure, until it was destroyed by fire on October 24, 1929.&nbsp;
<img style="float: right; margin: 3px;" title="ppp" alt="ppp" height="170" width="225" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/PPT-003.jpg" />&nbsp;
New Pilgrimage Play Theater
A new theater, with a seating capacity of 1,312 was built of concrete in ancient Judean architecture and the play reopened in 1931. &nbsp;The Pilgrimage Play continued until 1940 when war conditions caused brief interruptions.&nbsp; During the war, the dressing room sections were converted into dormitories, where hundreds of servicemen slept during their visit to Hollywood.
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<img style="float: left; margin: 3px;" title="pi" alt="pi" height="176" width="225" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/316/image/Misc-1943-2.jpg" />
Memorial Cross
When Mrs. Stevenson passed away in 1922, Hollywood was stunned.&nbsp; As a memorial to this fine lady, four of Hollywood&rsquo;s residents caused a 40-foot lighted cross to be erected atop the hill alongside the Pilgrimage Theater.&nbsp;
All the Pilgrimage Play photos can ve viewed and are available for purchase on the <a href="http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/">hollywoodphotographs.com </a>web site&nbsp;2012-08-29T13:36:00-07:002012-08-29T16:48:50-07:00Bruce Torrence